Ball-caster.



No. 65l,527. Patented lune l2. I900.

J. GRAY.

BALL CASTER.

(Application filed Sept. 22, 1897. Renewed Nov. 24, 1899.)

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES,

Fries.

PATENT JAMES GRAY, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO AMOS JAY HAWKINS, OF SAME PLACE.

'BALL-CASTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 651 ,52'(', dated June 12, 1900. Application filed September 22, 1897. Renewed November 24, 1899. Serial No. 738,187. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES GRAY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Caster, of which the following is a specification.

' The invention relates to improvements in casters. I

One object of the present invention is to improve the construction of ball-casters and to provide a simple, inexpensive, and efficient one which will possess great strength and durability and which may be readily taken apart and assembled.

A further object of the invention is to provide a f urniture-caster which may be quickly attached to and removed from the leg of a piece of furniture and which when in place will not be liable to drop off should the furniture be lifted for any reason.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of a caster constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view showing the same applied to one of the legs of a piece of furniture. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view. Fig. at is a detail perspective view of the cylindrical casing. Fig. 5 is a similar view of the detachable capplate. Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of the attachment-plate.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in the several figures of the drawings.

1 designates a substantially-cylindrical casing slightly tapering toward the bottom and provided thereat with an opening of less diameter than the sides of the casin g in order to form a seat for a main bearing-ball 2. The lower edge of the cylindrical casing is extended inward slightly to form a flange or seat, and the,

main bearing-ball protrudes slightly through the opening of the casing in order to rest upon the floor or other supporting-surface. The casing is provided at opposite sides of its upper edge with perforated extensions or flanges 3, through which passes a transverse pin 4 for securing a removable cap-plate 5 to the easing. The cap-plate 5, which fits within the upper end of the casing, is provided with horizontally-disposed curved flanges 6, which rest upon the upper edges of the casing between the vertical flanges or extensions 3 thereof. The curved flanges 6, which are disposed diametrically opposite each other, form' recesses or spaces between them' to receive the vertical 6o flanges or extensions 8 of the casing. By this construction the cap-plate is held perfectly rigid with the casing.

In order to reduce the friction to a minimum, an annular series of antifriction-balls 7 are interposed between the main bearingball and the lower face of the detachable capplate. The latter has its lower face horizontal, and the top of the ball 2 is interposed between the annular series of antifriotion-balls and forms a sufficient race for the same.

The detachable cap-plate is provided with a shank 8, which extends through a central opening 9 of a circular attachment-plate 10 and projects into a vertical bore of a leg 11 of a piece of furniture, the attachment-plate being secured to the lower end of the leg by means of screws or other suitable fastening devices. The attachment-plate is provided with an annular flange 12, surrounding the opening, to form an increased bearing-surface for the shank of the caster, and the latter is provided with a substantially vertically disposed lug or projection 13, which engages'the upper edge of the annular flange 12 to prevent the caster from dropping from the leg should the latter be lifted. The annular flange 12 extends from the upper face of the attachment-plate, and the latter is provided at its opening with a vertical groove 14, forming a passage for the lug or projection 13 to permit the latter to be passed through the opening of the attachment-plate and arranged I above the. flange.

This invention has the following advan- 5 tages: The caster is exceedingly simple and inexpensive in construction, and it possesses sufficient strength and durability to enable it to be applied to the heavier articles of furni ture. Its parts are readily separated and assembled, and the arrangement is such that the main bearing-ball forms a race for the an tifriction-balls. The caster is interlocked with the attachment-plate, so that there is no liability of it dropping off apiece of furniture should the latter be lifted.

What I claim is- 1. A ball-bearing caster comprising a substantially-cylindrical casing, provided at its bottom with an opening and having vertical flanges or extensions at its top, a main bear- IO ing-ball arranged within the cylindrical casin g and protruding through the opening at the bottom thereof, the detachable cap-plate fitting within the upper end of the casing and provided at opposite sides with horizontal I 5 flanges arranged between the vertical flanges U or extensions, an annular series of antifriction-balls interposed between the main bearing-ball and the detachable cap-plate, and a fastening device passing through the cap-plate 20 and the extensions or flanges of the casing,

substantially as described.

2. A ball-bearing caster comprising a sub stantially-cylindrical casing provided at its top with vertical flanges or extensions and having an opening at its bottom, a main bearing-ball arranged within the casin g at the bottom thereof and protruding through the same, an annular series of antifriction-balls, a detachable cap-plate fitting Within the cylindrical casing and providedwith curved flanges disposed horizontally and arranged between the vertical flanges or extensions of the easing, a transverse fastening device securing the cap-plate to the casing, a shank extending from the cap-plate and provided with a projection or lug, and an attachment-plate provided with a circular opening to receive the shank and having a groove forming a passage for the lug or projection, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JAMES GRAY.

Witnesses:

JAMES OsWALn, JOHN P. EDsoN. 

